1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector and more particularly relates to an electrical connector having insulation displacement or slotted plate contacts for making an interconnection between a wire and another member and more particularly relates to an insulation displacement terminal and connector which can be used not only to terminate wires but also to interconnect an electrical component such as a capacitor to those wires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Insulation displacement or slotted plate techniques have been employed to make an interconnection with an auxiliary component positioned within a connector housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,341 discloses a connector used to establish an insulation displacement connection to a diode. The terminal employed in that connector establishes a crimped interconnection between two wires and a diode is positioned between those two wires by means of insulation displacement or slotted plate contacts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,871 discloses a tap connector having through contact terminals suitable for terminating a wire in a wire receiving slot. A second tap connector terminal is positioned in a recess which is spaced from the first terminal and a leaded capacitor can be terminated by the slotted plate terminals. U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,633 discloses a means for establishing an insulation displacement contact with a capacitor in a dual in-line socket assembly.
Insulation displacement techniques have also been used for sealed connectors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,285 discloses a sealed insulation displacement connector comprising a first housing member in which an electrical terminal having a slotted insulation displacement section is located. A second housing member in which a elastomeric body of sufficient rigidity is disposed so that when an insulated conductor is aligned with a slotted insulation displacement section, the housing members can be moved relative to each other causing the elastomeric body to forcefully move the insulated conductor into the slotted insulation displacement section to terminate the conductor. The elastomeric body sealingly engages the connection formed between the conductor and the electrical terminal.
Insulation displacement terminals have also been employed to terminate wires in slots facing in opposite directions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,103 discloses a double ended electrical connecting device for connecting two wires to each other. This terminal is generally "U" shaped and comprises a web and side walls. Side walls are reversely bent inwardly towards each other and towards the web so that a double thickness of metal is provided in the upper portions of the sidewalls which are remote from the web. The wire receiving opening is provided in the web and this opening merges with wire receiving slots extending partially along the side walls. Additional wire receiving slots extend inwardly from the upper edges of the side walls through portions of the double thickness of metal. One wire is moved laterally of its axis into each of the slots electrically to connect both wires to a connecting device and to each other. The slots are different sizes to terminate wires of different gauges.
Typically, a insulation displacement connector or terminal is configured such that the wires move laterally of its axis into a terminal position within a housing. However, some electrical connectors employ a configuration in which the wire is positioned in the housing and the terminal is moved further into the housing to engage the wire. U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,927 discloses an electrical connector of this type.